Before we get started, familiarise yourself with these key terms:
Broker: A broker is an ASX Settlement Participant (like CommSec) who is authorised to facilitate the transfer of shares and other securities. A broker can also be defined as a party who is authorised to accept and submit transfer instructions on your behalf to an ASX Settlement Participant or Share Registry.
Holder Identification Number (HIN): A HIN is a unique number that identifies you as a CHESS Sponsored Shareholder with a broker. A HIN usually starts with the letter “X” followed by ten numbers (e.g. X0001234567).
CHESS: CHESS stands for Clearing House Electronic Subregister System. It’s the computer system used by the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) to record shareholdings and manage the settlement of share transactions.
CHESS Sponsored Shares: CHESS stands for Clearing House Electronic Subregister System. It's the computer system used by the ASX Settlement PTY Limited (ASX) to record shareholdings and manage the settlement of share transactions.
Securityholder Reference Number (SRN): An SRN is used to identify the owner of shares that are administered and maintained by a share registry (i.e. the shares are Issuer Sponsored).
For shares held by CommSec, follow these instructions to find your HIN.
Is a Broker-to-Broker Transfer right for me?
You need to complete a Broker-to-Broker Transfer if:
The shares are held and managed by another broker like nabtrade or CMC Markets. In this case, the HIN will start with the letter X.
The shares are registered to exactly the same name and salutation as the one on the CommSec account you’re transferring to. For example, transferring from MR JOHN SMITH to MR JOHN SMITH. You can check this by comparing the name on a current CHESS statement with what’s recorded on your CommSec account.
The shares are registered to exactly the same name and salutation as the one on the CommSec account you’re transferring to. For example, 1 NAME ST to 1 NAME ST.
Broker-to-Broker share transfers are free.
What do I need to check before I start my transfer?
That your name, salutation, postal address, account number and HIN on the originating account exactly match the details of the destination account.
The quantity of shares being transferred.
Your CommSec Client ID and password to download the form online.